Late Night Hunger Pangs...

Do you have late night hunger pangs?  I have noticed its been a real problem for me....

How do you handle it?

One thing that has helped me are smoothies with a special ingredient....OATMEAL!

I know I know....its too late to eat and that is a CARB!  Everything about it says NO....but it satisfies the beast that is hungry inside me. I cannot sleep when my stomach is completely empty.   Here's how I make my midnight smoothie:

1 cup of UNSWEETENED almond milk

1/2 cup of Quaker Oats

1 Frozen Banana

1/2 cup of frozen fruit of your choice (I like strawberries and mangoes)  

Blend it up.....and ENJOY! (about 300 calories)

So far it hasn't affected my efforts....I dont do this every night only when I'm starving late at night.....plus it helps me get some extra fiber (I need it!)

Its better than eating a Whopper like my body is telling me....

Any thoughts?

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Argh! Weight Loss Plateau

 Ahhhh!  You know how you know something is coming and you try to prepare yourself but when it happens its like DAG'ON!  Well yeah...that was me this morning when I realized that I was there....it had happened...it was upon me!  What? You may ask....a weight loss plateau!  Stuck here at 13 pounds lost...I tried to hold out till 20 pounds to switch it up...but I know now that it is time.  So instead of pouting and having an attitude, I came up with a master plan....

I knew that my calorie intake was cool...according to myfitnesspal.com I was on target.  As long as I am at home I eat just fine...I am still yet working on eating better out the house.  Until then, I will keep it in the house!  No fast food, junk food on a very very limited basis.   NO PROCESSED FOODS....Ive always hated them anyway!  I thank God that my mom didn't make that stuff! Veggies....check!  Protein....check! Carbs...in order!  Sugar....controlled!  Water Intake....cool!  Sodium...reduced!  I was definitely working out...burning at least 400 calories per day...more than what I needed to to lose weight.  So what is the problem?  The thing is your body has no idea that you want to lose weight...all it knows is maintenance!   So  after some time it programs itself to adjust itself to your new efforts via several complicated mechanisms.  Hence the weight plateau.    Now what we have to do is TRICK your body to adjust again!  Here's my plan....I cant do much about eating....I HAVE TO EAT!  I think about depriving but I know already where that leads....

So I'm switching up the workouts....Wii Fit has served its purpose and will now be a supplement and just plain fun activity.   My new main look will be "The Biggest Loser Cardio Max & Power Sculpt"  (shown left).  This will jump start my body with something different which requires a new level of intensity!  I'm not gonna front....I was dreading this on the low...its gonna HURT! 
As a matter of fact anything with Jillian Micheals is involved will be tough!  

This will hopefully take my losses to another level and I will be able to slide back down the scale.  I'm currently making a video compilation of my weight loss journey and I haven't recorded in a few days....I'm ready to add more clips...and I will very soon....

Remember your plateaus are not the end of your life.   Weight loss is a trial of patience many ups and downs and stand stills.   Part of the battle is overcoming these hurdles and find a source of your strength to go on.  The bible says that the children of God are more than conquerors....so that means I cant lose!  The same can be for you.....(I can help you with that too...just ask).  

Till Next Time

Somewhere sweating with Jillian :)

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On the Scale Everyday?

Do you weigh yourself everyday?  Some experts say that this is not wise...some say its fine.  Well who is correct you may ask.  

Well it all depends on what your motives are....now if you want to do this you have to understand one thing....your weight will fluctuate everyday!!!  If you are the type to cry every time you see an increase...this may not be the best tactic for you.  

Personally,  I weigh myself each day...for one reason...to watch the trend of my body weight.  Everyone's body has a trend...here's mine.   From the data I collected on my weight, it stays in a five pound radius at all times. For instance if I weighed 50 pounds....then within a week my weight will be anywhere from 50-55 pounds that week....because of water retention and activity levels.  So if I see a changes in that range and Im exercising and eating clean I'm cool...but if I see 56 pounds...I'M IN TROUBLE!  

I only record my weight about weekly.....when doing things right....I should see a decrease, a weight I haven't seen that week....like something below 50 pounds in my example.  So if my weight drops to 48 my new range will be 48-53 and so on.  Currently I haven't see the higher numbers in my current range in a few days....which is a awesome! That means my overall weight has dropped and I will be seeing new numbers this week sometime...YAY!

So if you want to be a scale enthusiast like myself...you will have to weigh yourself for a couple of weeks maybe longer just to get an idea of how your weight fluctuates.  Collect data and find your trend....

I guess its the scientist in me....

Check out my latest slim down report....

Till Next Time

Scaling down....

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My Hair....

 So my hair has developed a local fan base.  All day every day I get stopped in stores and on the street with the same questions (or a variation)...."How do you get you hair curly like that?" or "What are you?".  I must say since going natural a little over four years ago its been a great journey.  When I was relaxed, I never did my own  hair...every two weeks in the hair dresser spending mucho dinero only to walk out, sweat and then POOF here comes the puff!  I was tired of wasting my money and my time.  So I transitioned for about 10 months and CHOP! 

So here are my hair stats:

Length:  APL (arm pit length when straight)

Type:  3c/4a (I'm not too sure...)

Color:  Red (a mix I created)

Thickness: I would consider my hair pretty thick

So to answer the questions:

How do I get my hair so curly.....well its simple -------->  GENETICS!  Sorry ladies there is no magic bottle that will produce this...unless maybe you wanna bring the Jeri curl back (dont do it!) or texturizer is an option.   Either way you wont be natural anymore. :(  

Dont stress about the curl pattern...whatever your texture...its BEAUTIFUL...its YOURS! Rock it and make it POP.  No longer will natural girls just wear an Afro puff all day everyday...natural hair has one advantage over others....VERSATILITY!  Be creative...

Now how I take care of these curls is another issue.  The key word is moisture!!! To produce delicious curls you have to moisturize, there is nothing worse than CRUNCHY DRY hair.   There are many products that provide moisture...I tend to lean toward items that end with BUTTER....Shea, mango, etc. Deep conditioning under heat helps the product penetrate into the hair shaft.  Another key is tying your hair up at night with a satin scarf....especially if you sleep on cotton pillowcases.  Not only will your hair be dry but it will BREAK.  So you will  have the dry/crunchy combo & you will also be BALD.  Not cool...

I personally make my own products...coming soon for purchase...stay tuned...if moisture is what you need...I got you! ;)

The second question type is "what are you?"  well....I am African American.  Both of my parents are black...lol!  Now according to the family history, my maternal side is mixed with Choctaw (a Native American group that lived in the region of Alabama/Mississippi).  My paternal side is rumored to have Native American as well...but that hasn't been confirmed :).  My hair is a good combo of my parents....my dad has thick tightly curled soft hair and my mother's hair is wavy and before she cut it was very LONG.  So I'm right in the middle.  

This is the start of many natural hair entries....stayed tuned!

Till Next Time...

Enjoying my world of curls :)

Versatility Ladies...its so FUN! Note: My clavicle bone is showing....that motivated me to work out...I miss them :)

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Delicious....Lettuce Wraps

One misconception about losing weight is that we should STOP eating.   All the experts have noted that starvation leads to a slower metabolism....therefore destroying your efforts.  According to myfitnesspal.com (my new favorite website) I should eat at least 1200-1300 calories per day; based on  the weight and weight loss goal I entered into the system; check it out for your own needs. Now if you are anything like me....this is not an easy task.  I have a tendency not to eat...then binge like a ravenous wolf a few days later.  :/

I love food...food that tastes good and I never wanna feel like a depriving myself of delicious food.  That makes me upset :(  & then I quit...

So I have been investing in preparing filling meals that are tasty and wont mess up my calorie goals.  If you have ever been to P.F Changs they serve this appetizer called lettuce wraps...a small piece of amazing.  Ive decided to share my own rendition of this treat....they dont taste the same....I personally like mine just as much! Hope you enjoy  (there are plenty of recipes online if you want something different)

A Teacher's Lettuce Wraps

1 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast

1/2 Cup of Baby Portebella Mushrooms

1/4 Cup Chopped Onion

1/4 Cup Chopped Celery 

2-4 Tbsp Ken's Honey Teriyaki Marinade

3-4 Leaves of Iceberg Lettuce

Chunked Pineapple [the kind in juice NOT syrup] (optional)

Spinach and Artichoke Hummus by Sabra (optional) 

Chop chicken breast into small chunks and season to taste [I like Sazon complete seasoning, red pepper flakes, black pepper, dry mustard, a of dash seasoned salt; watch the sodium :)] and add 2tbsp of the marinade and mix well.  Ensure all chicken is coated with seasoning.

Stir Fry or saute chicken breast in a skillet with a small amount of oil (olive oil preferred) 

When chicken is almost done (no more pink visible) add your veggies and continue to saute until chicken is completely done at this time you can add the rest of the marinade.  Remove from heat and let cool...

Take lettuce spread a little hummus and top with chicken, garnish with pineapple and wrap it up

This recipe will make about 4 wraps depending on how you stuff your wraps...

Enjoy :)

Calories: ~400

It fills me up every time!!!! 

Till Next Time

Slimming down one delicious bite at a time...

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Round & Round I Go!

Round and round I go where I stop nobody knows?  Ever feel this way?  It can apply to all types of situations and circumstances from finances, fitness, and all other pursuits of happiness.  You set a goal....you make a plan but some how you get to a place where you feel like "didn't I just pass this tree?" UGH!  Back to square one.....

In every new level of life there is a TESTING, the underlying question of it all is "are you committed to this...do you really want this?"  If your answer is an unequivocal YES...then you push past that tree and say I WONT SEE YOU AGAIN!   Personally, Ive been through this in many areas but weight loss I must say has to be the most grueling.  You sweat, you eat clean and you pray.  Then the big day comes (for me its on Saturdays) and you look down at that scale and what do you see.....surely its a decrease....but no...its and DAG' ON increase.  At this point you have a decision to make....

1.  Kick the scale and eat whatever is closest and sweetest (been there before)

2.  Take a breath and reason in your mind what happened (salt intake, female bloating, muscle gain, not enough water intake) and go back to the plan

Now its testimony time.... :)

This is exactly what happened to me on Saturday....Ive been losing the same three pounds over and over...I was on my third round and enough was enough!  I got down to business...and had the NERVE to gain 2.3 pounds. No Ma'am & No Sir!  This is impossible...at this point at the brink of tears....but wait....there must be a reason....looked up some sources.  A couple talked about muscle fatigue when you build new muscles, they get microscopic tears...causing INFLAMMATION and WATER RETENTION.  Hmmm were my muscles sore?  OH YES!  OK...cool.  That coupled with my female enjoyments....gave a reason that I could live with.  This body was designed by an awesome creator and has mechanisms that are amazing and for my benefit.....so I can cope with the change...and now a few days later...I am back to where I should be....with a loss!  Victory!

You wrote the vision, now work it!  Now you may wanna question or edit the vision to ensure its validity.  What were your sources?  Are they reliable? The Sugar Cube and Ice Cream Diet by Breyers may not be the best book read right now....OK?  As a scientist my way of thinking is methodical and I am always verifying...even the Word tells us to have two or three witnesses.  If its in that book...that's all sources I need...anything true can be verified there! 

Dont give up on your dream....like aforementioned this can apply to that business plan, that college course or that relationship.

Pass your tests!   Someone is counting on your victory....including YOU!

"All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."

Till Next Time....

Breezing through this test.... :) 

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Salt and White!

Summertime is coming and Ive decided to step my teeth game to another level.  I went old school and started using baking soda with my toothpaste. So a lovely friend of mine told me that rubbing salt on my teeth would remove extra plaque....WHAT! I had never heard of that before and I had to try it...

Well needless to say I will forever keep salt in my medicine cabinet...it feels like Ive been to the dentist every morning....amazing!

My teeth are so clean that you can even hear a squeaky sound when you rub them....ahhhh!  They even have a shine to them...and like expected my teeth are whiter from the baking soda. 

So if you are looking for an inexpensive way to clean your teeth after and nice brushing....simply pour about a 1/4 teaspoon of salt on your toothbrush and brush away!  You will begin to hear your teeth....literally.  Be sure not to swallow that extra salt...YUCK!

Of course I had to look up the health benefits for all of this....here is what I found:

Not only is salt good to clean the teeth, it is good to keep your gums firm and free from bacterial infections.  By draining fluid from your gums and killing the bacteria....

So there you have it...a nice natural way clean/whiten your teeth

I would only use the salt 1-2 a week....

Till Next Time...

Smiling brightly

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Shhh! Dont Tell Nobody!

Ever learn a lesson in an instant....like BAM!  You finally catch on to what the world has been trying to teach you forever.  I always wondered why my mind sometimes took a little longer than others to receive information at least certain information.  

Are you the kind of person that always says what you feel to whoever, whenever, however.  Did you ever ask yourself why do you do that...  I mean it just hit me like a tsunami this morning [no pun intended]! I have lots of opinions...and quite frankly I believe they are right.  BUT that doesnt mean I have to shut everyone down that is in opposition.  So many people are dealing with so much these days.  At the heart of everything I do and say...I want people to become better and I truly do love all people...even YOU!  

There are times when people dont want to hear your opinions because the truth sometimes hurts...and it just isn't the right time.  There is a time and a place for everything...are you willing to wait for it.  I learned that wisdom can be defined as the proper use of knowledge.  Sure you may believe abortion is wrong but sending anti abortion emails to your sister that just had one may not be the best way to get your point across.  If you are truly right, then God will provide an opportunity for the truth to be revealed and spoken when they are ready.  Not when YOU are.  A wise person once told me that wisdom is power under control....key word being CONTROL.  

Its just best to be silent.  If your aim is to truly change the world...its something you have to learn.  I am not suggesting you become a people pleaser by no means! NO WAY!  What I am suggesting is that you just think before you speak...if you really care...your opinion can wait.  Sometimes it has to be unsaid....and if you are anything like I was...that is NOT an easy task.  It is a doable one though....

YOU CAN DO IT!

Till Next Time....

Walking in Wisdom

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Hmmm Hummus!

Chickpeas...mashed up? In my mouth....NO MA'AM!  Or at least that's what I thought once upon a time...the name alone sounds gross.  But lets learn to be open minded folks....especially my African Americans....TRY SOMETHING NEW!  Think outside the box....as a matter of fact break the box and burn it!  

Hummus is really a delicious dish!  I personally spread it on veggies like cucumbers and celery (with a sprinkle of sazon complete seasoning).  Most people use it on pita bread or crackers...I am partial to the roasted red pepper and spinach artichoke flavors by "Sabra" (www.sabra.com).  Its not too badly price either....retails at around $3.00 per 10 oz container.  It has a smooth texture and the flavors are bold and inviting!  I give it two thumbs up!  

Now the nerd in me had to know the health value in this middle eastern delight...will this help me reach my weight goal....deliciously?  Chickpeas are rich in fiber, proteins (which I need right now on my meatless diet) and contains many vitamins available which is an especially high source of folic acid which is important for cell maintenance and production of red blood cells (to my anemics ....this is IMPORTANT).   All beans have three components (saponins, protease inhibitors, and phytic acid)....I know you are like HUH?  Well in plain English...these factors can help fight off genetic damage to cells which can prevent CANCER.  


Did I mention it is delicious....for my calorie counters....its only 70 calories per serving (2 tablespoons), I usually use 3.  Using certain veggies, you can benefit from negative calories.  Dont know what that is...check out an old post here  (Reading is Soooo Fundamental!!! Negative Calories).  

So there you have it....Hummus is great!  GET INTO IT!


Until Next Time....


Slimming Down One Delicious Bite at a Time.... 

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The Life of a Vegetarian

So....
For the last five days I have been a vegetarian maybe even a vegan because I haven't eaten any dairy products. Anytime I would think about people who live that life...I would think it was virtually IMPOSSIBLE! To my surprise it has not been so bad. With creativity you can have some delicious meals that are filling. I think I am lacking in protein majorly though. Nonetheless its been cool....I am going to continue this until the 21st of this month. I wont say its a lifestyle for me (because I have this love affair with chicken) but I will say that it is something to add to my repertoire of meals. To think you can have a full day without meat and survive happily with enough energy to survive workouts as well. Some of my fellow carnivores cant even fathom this. Its not that bad trust me.....

Also it has helped boost my weight loss! I am now currently 11.2 lbs down! How exciting? So I have a resource to go to when I reach those plateaus... I mean Daniel in the bible did the same thing for 21 days and gained such insight...there may be something to this 21 day vegetarian lifestyle...hmmm? He even looked better! I encourage you all to try it....you never know how it may benefit your lifestyle!

Here's a good recipe for a smoothie:

Banana Strawberry Apple Almond Smoothie [Need a shorter name :)]

1 Medium Banana
1 cup of Strawberry Apple Sauce
1 cup of Vanilla Almond Milk (unsweetened)

Blend well in a blender....and ENJOY! (Add Ice if you would like...I personally dont)

IT'S DELICIOUS!

Till Next Time....

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To Youtube or Not to Youtube???

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Back to Basics....

Since moving from my Sampa site....I have forgotten the reason I started blogging in the first place.....to keep myself accountable with my weight loss! I got on this spiritual rant kick and my weight skyrocketed through the roof... Back at square one....no worries! One thing that will never help in a journey such as this is getting mad about falling off.

So I am rededicating this site to the reason it was started.....here we go!
I will keep you updated here on my progress....since this is on the web I have to be responsible....LOL!

I will even include a weight tracker....Enjoy! (ITS ALL THE WAY AT THE BOTTOM)

Currently 10 pounds down....73 to go!

So in 2011 I discovered a few things:

Wii Fit: Thanks to the kindness of another....I have a Wii Fit Plus....
I loooooooooove video games and will spend time playing them....this game is a God send! It tracks your weight in a graph...helps you complete exercises as well as tells you how many calories you've burned! Its not easy either...Super Hula Hoop is NO JOKE! Who would've thought!

Netflix: I dont really like what they show on TV these days....so I turned off my cable and subscribed to Netflix! First of all...they have EVERY EPISODE OF THE COSBY SHOW AND SPONGEBOB...Im done! Then they have workouts as well....and I discovered Cardiosalsa....if you like Zumba (which I love) then you will like this workout....I burned about 360 calories in about 35 min...not bad!

Almond Milk: I dont really drink milk...but I like to use it for certain things: oatmeal, cereal, smoothies, mashed potatoes, etc....but I dont eat these things often so by the time I get around to using milk....ITS SPOILED! Then thanks to a friend they put me on to Almond Milk (soy milk isnt good for you by the way). 40 calories per serving and it makes smoothies AMAZING! I love it....and it takes like a month to expire.....IM SOLD! Almonds are really good for you too....

MyFitnessPal.com: This site is cool! It allows you to set goals for calorie intake based on the amount of weight you want to lose per week. It has a very extensive database for exercises and food to add to your daily dairy. It has a cool app for your android or Iphone devices as well....

Since adding these few things to my life...Ive lost 10 pounds so far!

Im excited....

I hope my blog entries will encourage you all to reach your goals....not just weight loss but this year I plan on venturing into starting my own business....STAY TUNED....

Till Next Time.....

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